


The Break Up

by hopefulfridays



Category: Poldark (TV 2015)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:13:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23519014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopefulfridays/pseuds/hopefulfridays
Summary: A Modern AU. In which Caroline has broken up with Dwight, but clearly regrets it. The collective patience of Ross and Demelza is severely tested. I call this lighthearted angst...
Relationships: Demelza Carne/Ross Poldark, Dwight Enys/Caroline Penvenen
Comments: 14
Kudos: 45





	The Break Up

Dwight walked past exam room 5 on his way out of the hospital and smiled sadly to himself. Exam room 5 held good memories for him. Months ago, during what he termed "the longest shift ever to be worked at Truro Infirmary", Caroline had arrived in A and E and surprised him with a picnic basket. He had only been able to take 15 minutes break, and Caroline being Caroline, the basket was full of gourmet food. The food had never been eaten, as Dwight in scrubs was too much for Caroline to resist and Dwight likewise found Caroline in what little she wore under her coat equally alluring. Consequently they had chosen to make love instead. Caroline had assured him that the food had not gone to waste as she and Demelza had washed it all down later that night with a bottle of Moet. 

Dwight sighed. Exam room 5 would never again be witness to that kind of treatment, at least not from him. He and Caroline had been broken up for 7 weeks, 3 days and approximately 5 hours. Not that he was counting. 

And it was a good thing that they had finished, it truly was. Now he would be able to concentrate on his medical career with no distractions. He was certain that this feeling of total and utter devastation would soon pass. One day he would wake up and Caroline Penvenen would not be the first thought in his head. One day, he would wake up and hardly remember who she was. 

He was already one step on his way to achieving that goal. Tonight he had plans. Tonight he was going to become the ladies man he had never aspired to be. Dwight, in a moment of weakness, had agreed to be set up with a workmate of Ross Poldark's, primarily to shut Ross up. Ross, not being the type to allow his friend to dwell on his romantic misfortune, had pestered Dwight from the moment Caroline had split up with him. And now Dwight was glad that he had. It was time to move on, as they say. Such a good thing Caroline had broken up with him...

Tonight he was meeting a woman from Ross's geotechnical engineering company, who was very pretty, according to Ross. Not in Demelza's league, but then, very few were, Ross had said, but she was lovely all the same. She had quickly agreed to the date as she had seen Dwight when he visited Ross at work, and had liked what she had seen. They were meeting at a little Italian restaurant near Ross and Dwight's flat, and Dwight was on a mission to impress.

~~~~~

"That's hardly fair Caroline. You can't blame Ross for taking care of his best friend. "Betrayal" is a bit strong, don't you think?" asked Demelza, her eyebrows raised, and her face showing her clear disapproval, as she stood in the living area of their flat.

"No I do not think it's too strong. Are you sending me on dates with your workmates? No. No you are not" said Caroline defensively.

She bit her lip and put on her new beige slippers, which matched her new beige flannel pajamas. The broken heart emojis on them were a nice touch, Caroline thought. Gone were the skimpy pretty silk pajamas that she used to wear. They belonged to a former life. Now she required her pajamas to reflect her life, which was so very very beige and her heart so very very broken without Dwight. 

"Caroline. Need I remind you that you broke up with Dwight? You met him in a restaurant, told him your relationship was over, and left him sitting there, dazed and confused. It's hardly fair to resent him for trying to move on..." Demelza stated firmly. 

"How dare you bring logic into this conversation Demelza? Your function, in this instance, is to agree with everything I say, and repeatedly state that I am too good for him, even though it's clearly not true. You should also say...and this is the most important point...that his priorities are totally messed up, and I was the best thing that ever happened to him" And Caroline promptly burst into tears.

Demelza hugged her and patted her on the back. So it was going to be one of those nights. Just as well it was Friday and neither of them were working in the morning. This evening had at least one bottle of vodka written all over it.

"And you know I only split with him because I felt I had no choice" Caroline added tearfully. 

Demelza sighed. It was tough being caught in the middle.

"How can he move on so quickly? He obviously never cared in the first place" she claimed angrily. Caroline moved through all seven stages of grief and back again at least once a day. 

Demelza sighed again, and restrained herself from commenting further. She went into the kitchen and picked up her phone. She needed to speak to someone sane. Well marginally saner than Caroline at this point in time.

Ross picked up almost immediately. 

"Hey Dem. What's going on?"

"Oh nothing much. Caroline is in tears because you set Dwight up on a date tonight. She..."

"Shouldn't have finished with him then" said Ross sharply.

"Well perhaps he shouldn't have taken her for granted and made her think that the inside of a petrie dish was more attractive than she is" Demelza snapped.

"Don't you get pissy with me Demelza Carne" Ross fired back.

"I'll get pissy if I need to get pissy Ross Poldark" Demelza replied loudly. 

Caroline walked into the kitchen and grabbed the phone off Demelza. 

"Can you just stop Ross? And don't you dare come over here. I know how this banter ends and my bedroom walls are way too thin"

"I am coming over Caroline. I have to leave the flat free for my friend, just in case" Ross said and then regretted it, as all he could hear was Caroline crying at the other end.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY THAT FOR?" Demelza practically shouted down the phone once she had picked it up off the floor where Caroline had dropped it before she had thrown herself face down on the sofa. 

"OK you may have a point there, probably not my most sensitive moment. But I've got to go. Dwight's just emerged from his room and I have to give him some advice for tonight. Boost his confidence. Make sure he's ready for Rosina. Love you, see you later" And Ross was gone.

Demelza went into the next room, to find Caroline had migrated to the floor, and was drinking straight from the vodka bottle. Demelza attempted to take it from her, but Caroline held onto it for dear life.

"This is mine, all mine, Dem. I have a one way ticket to oblivion tonight, and nothing can stop me"

"With the way you're drinking Caroline, you have a one way ticket to alcohol poisoning. And then A and E." Demelza said. 

Caroline stopped drinking. "A and E?" she said, an idea forming. "Maybe I could see Dw...oh wait. He's not at the hospital tonight. He's on a date with another woman" And the tears began again. Caroline's face was a mess of mascara - definitely not waterproof - smudged lipstick and red blotchy patches. 

Demelza quickly snapped a picture of her friend and showed her. "That's an excellent idea Caroline. After nearly two months, that's the face you want Dwight to see"

Caroline screeched in horror. 

~~~~~

Dwight sat at the table in the Italian restaurant and took a drink of water. He smiled politely at Rosina, who smiled prettily back. Once they had ordered, the conversation had become a little stilted. 

"So what exactly is it that you do again?" he asked. 

Rosina looked at him in confusion. "I work in technical support"

"Technical support, that's right, you did say" Dwight replied absently.

Smooth, Enys, so smooth he thought. Get it together.

Silence. 

"So Rosina, do you have any hobbies?" 

~~~~~

Demelza's phone beeped at 10pm.

"Ross. I thought you'd be here by now"

"So did I. But I just had a call from a very angry Rosina telling me to never set her up with any of my friends again. Apparently the only time Dwight appeared remotely interested in her was when she mentioned she had trouble with her leg from time to time, and she also said that she could now write an essay on the life and times of Caroline Penvenen because she was all Dwight talked about. I am waiting for him to arrive home to give him the verbal kicking he so clearly needs" Ross said in frustration. 

Demelza had put the phone on speaker as she did the washing up, and Caroline, after hearing this, suddenly sat up from her prone position on the floor, and smiled drunkenly.

Demelza dried her hands off and took the phone off speaker.

"Well, can you get here as quickly as you can? I need to see you. I have been stuck with the frontrunner for Miss Misery 2020 for too long now and I need some distraction"

"I will be there there as soon as I've dealt with Dwight. I can't wait to see you either. I don't know who's had it worse. I have been stuck with Dr Denial - no I'm not upset my girlfriend finished with me. Not at all. Nothing to see here - his fake happiness is wearing thin, let me tell you. Sending him on that date was a huge mistake. I swear he cries into his pillow at night"

Caroline had decided she needed to know exactly what Ross was saying, so she crept into the kitchen and tackled Demelza from behind. A short wrestling match ensued but she managed to grab the phone and put it back on speaker. Just in time, because apparently Dwight had just arrived home.

"I do not cry into my pillow at night!" said a very grumpy looking Dwight as he stood in the doorway of their flat. "Caroline breaking up with me is the best thing that could have happened to me. I really should thank her. It didn't suit me to be tied down. Now I can date whoever catches my eye, with no commitments. I might even date several women. Variety is the spice of life and all that. Caroline and I never should have been together in the first place. So it's great that she gave me my freedom and I..."

"Used it to talk about her all night in the company of a very attractive and very single woman. Nice Dwight. Oh and did I mention Caroline just wrestled the phone off Demelza, so she has me on speaker? Caroline heard every word you just said"

Dwight's face turned whiter than the snow in the Arctic.

Caroline's smile had disappeared and she face planted in the sofa again where she proceeded to soak the cushions with her tears.

Demelza, once she had heaved herself off the floor, rubbing her elbow, had reached the end of her proverbial rope.

"Enough!" She shouted. "I can't take it any longer. This is the most ridiculous break up in the history of...oh I don't know, THE WORLD"

"Agreed" Ross said. "We're on our way Dem. This lunacy ends tonight." He finished the call and pocketed his phone.

"No we are not Ross. You go and see Demelza but I am not going anywhere near that flat" Dwight said obstinately.

"Oh yes you are. You don't actually think I believed any of that utter drivel that just came out of your mouth? "I can date anyone who catches my eye with no commitments?? Variety is the spice of life???"" Ross was well and truly worked up now. 

Ross went to the bathroom and dramatically opened the door. He looked inside then shut it and then went into the kitchen and looked in all the cupboards. 

He turned to Dwight, who was looking at him as if he had lost his mind, and added "I was just looking for Dwight Enys, because apparently his evil twin came home in his place. And quite frankly I don't care for him"

"And just so you know, you do a rotten impression of Dwight Enys the player. Never have I known a man more desperate to settle down with one particular woman and have a family, and don't even try to deny it"

"Now go outside and get in the car" Ross was a shade short of menacing, but not by much.

Dwight obediently went outside and got in the car. He was an intelligent man and he recognized when another man was about to break. 

~~~~~

"Caroline, go and wash your face" instructed Demelza. "And stop drinking that!" she added, snatching the vodka out of Caroline's hands. 

"No and no" said Caroline miserably. "I have sobered up and I'm nowhere near oblivion. And there's no point in washing my face because the man I love will never see it anyway" she finished dramatically. 

"Actually he will. He and Ross are about five minutes away, so if I were you, I'd..."

Demelza was interrupted by the sound of a key in the door.

"Oops. No time. Never mind, you're Caroline Penvenen, you're never anything less than fabulous"

Ross pushed Dwight into the room as if he were a cop in an American tv show, and Dwight were the bad guy, finally apprehended after weeks on the run.

Neither Dwight nor Caroline could look at the other, but each suddenly found the plush rug on the floor endlessly fascinating. 

Ross, though, looked at Caroline "Will you please do something with him? His moods are all over the place and I am a wreck having to deal with him. All I want to do is spend my Friday night with my girlfriend, but no, I have to deal with you two. Both of you need to learn how to exist in a drama free relationship. You would do well to use me and Dem as your example"

He then took Demelza's hand and they went went into the kitchen for some sensible conversation. They closed the door but only lasted two minutes before they put their ears against it so they could hear what was happening in the next room.

"Well that told us" Dwight said under his breath. 

An awkward silence fell. 

"How was your date?" Caroline finally asked in a very small voice.

"I couldn't tell you" Dwight replied slowly as he took in the state of Caroline. "I don't remember anything about it"

"Oh" said Caroline, not sure what to make of that. "I'm sorry Ross dragged you here. I know you want to move on, but maybe this woman tonight wasn't the one for you. As you said, variety is the spice of life. If you date the myriad of women you plan to, you're bound to find someone you like" She put her nose in the air and pouted as she looked out the window into the darkness. 

Demelza banged on the door. It was the only thing she could think of to do to get Caroline to stop provoking him. Was her job never done?

Dwight was silent. And then "Caroline you are confusing the hell out of me right now. You finish with me, say you want me to date other people, and yet I am not getting that vibe from you as you stand here now. Care to enlighten me and tell me what is going on in your head?'"

Caroline swallowed. "Well I may have been a tad hasty with the whole break up thing. I mean, I won't lie, I hate coming second to your work. But it seems I hate my life without you even more...and I've made a mistake of epic proportions because you don't want to be tied down...."

"Caroline. I never meant anything I said to Ross before. Not one word. Not one letter of one word. It was pure bravado. I only want to be with one woman and her hair is a mess, her face is blotchy and her mascara is frankly scarily out of control. Right now she looks the worst I have ever seen her"

Now Ross pounded on the door. "What the hell is he doing?" he mouthed to Demelza. 

Dwight ignored the pounding on the door, and continued. 

"The worst I have ever seen her is better than 99% of the population at their best, by the way. And I also love her more than life and she was the best thing that ever happened to me"

"Oh" said Caroline, and this time happy tears filled her eyes. "That's good then. So, wh.."

She never finished her sentence as Dwight closed the gap between them and kissed her. 7 weeks, 3 days and 10 hours of missing each other went into that kiss, and the room fell silent for some time.

"What's happening, do you think?" whispered Demelza, in the kitchen. 

"I think they are steaming up the windows is what I think. Should have closed the curtains, Dem" Ross whispered back. 

Dwight fumbled with the buttons on Caroline's pajamas.

"What are these Caroline?" he asked when they eventually pulled apart. "I don't like them. Take them off"

"These are my "life without Dwight" pajamas. They reflect the state of my heart without you" Caroline forlornly informed him. "I have "life without Dwight" slippers too", she added, lifting her foot to show him.

Dwight laughed and hugged her, lifting her off her feet. "I missed you so so much. Throw them all away. You don't need them anymore. And don't you ever, ever break up with me again"

And he continued working on the buttons.

Demelza pushed open the kitchen door an inch and quickly closed it again.

"Mission accomplished. Only now we're stuck in the kitchen. Dwight's now taking off Caroline's pajama top..." Demelza whispered.

"And not before time" Ross said dryly.

"We'll make a blind break for it and go back to my flat. And Dem..if you ever buy oversized beige flannel pajamas, our relationship is over"

~~~~~

SOME WEEKS LATER

Dwight guided Caroline around the dance floor as they both looked across at the radiant bride and the handsome but very smug looking groom. 

"Who'd have thought that two months ago we would be here tonight?" reflected Caroline. 

"I don't know. When Ross decides on a plan of action, he's pretty unstoppable" replied Dwight.

"Too true" she agreed. 

Demelza looked stunning in a simple yet sophisticated slimline floor length dress, with her hair in a bun at the base of her neck. Ross had scrubbed up well too, although there always seemed to be an issue with his hair.

The dance came to an end, and Dwight and Caroline returned to their table. Caroline looked down at her left hand, which wore an elegant diamond engagement ring. Dwight had placed it there the previous week.

The engagement ring that he had been saving for over a course of months before they had split up. Paid for by all the extra shifts he had taken on before they split up because he had known, as soon as he had met Caroline, that she was it for him. Caroline had started crying when he had revealed this information, saying she would have worn a plastic ring from a child's jewellery set if he had given it to her.

And she had almost meant it.


End file.
